Milwaukee City Wire

Wisconsin election law requiring voters to present identification at the polls, and other provisions in the state’s election code, would be steamrolled by legislation awaiting action in the U.S. Senate, according to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). 

The federal legislation, House Resolution 1 and its companion bill, Senate Bill 1, would allow voters to sign an affidavit attesting to their identities before voting rather than presenting photo IDs. Democrats behind the legislation, which critics say will strip states of their constitutionally derived authority to establish their own election practices, have named it the “For the People Act.” A more descriptive title would be the “Corrupt Politicians Act,” Cruz said.

“Democrats did not write the 'Corrupt Politicians Act' to strengthen our elections system or to restore trust in our democracy,” Cruz said. “They wrote it to expand voter fraud and try to ensure that they’ll never lose again. We have to fight every step of the way to stop the 'Corrupt Politicians Act.' We have to stand for free and fair elections and the rule of law, and not hand the future of our republic and our elections to the radical left.”

H.R. 1 cleared the House in March along a party-line vote. But the initiative has been stymied by an evenly divided Senate and the opposition of Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) to ending the filibuster rule, which requires 60 votes to halt floor debate and proceed with a vote on legislation.

Thirty-six states require some form of voter ID, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Wisconsin, and five other states have “strict photo ID” rules. Those eligible to vote can’t without a photo ID.

The other states are Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Surveys show that a majority of voters, including minority voters, support photo ID requirements and other election safeguards.

According to the Honest Elections Project poll, 64% of voters, including black (51%) and Hispanic (66%) voters, as well as urban (59%) and independent (61%) voters, want to increase voting safeguards that mitigate fraud, not decrease them.

A March 2021 survey by pollster Rasmussen Reports found that 75% of likely U.S. residents believe voters should be required to show photo identification such as a driver’s license before being allowed to vote, and 21% are opposed to such a requirement. That's up from 67% in favor, per a Rasmussen poll in October 2018.